Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

The group of seven walked through the thick jungle as vines tangled like webs, trees towering overhead, and the air rich with the scent of moss and damp soil.

It wasn't long before the first threat slithered into view.

Snakes.

There were thousands of them. Some as thick as a man's arm, others barely the width of a finger but all of them venomous-looking, their beady eyes glinting as they dropped silently from the trees and coiled around the underbrush.

Betty who was in the front froze mid-step.

A bead of sweat slid down her temple but her face remained composed, icy calm as always. Her hands didn't tremble, but her feet didn't move either.

Liu Mei, on the other hand, leaned forward with blatant curiosity.

"Oooh. Are those snakes? Are they tasty? Can I try one?" she asked, eyes gleaming with genuine interest.

Yuu reached over and patted her head like a misbehaving child. "Absolutely not. They're dangerous. Very bad."

Liu Mei, unfazed, floated a few inches higher into the air, crossing her arms in thought. "Hmm. I'll check. It's always good to check, sister Yuu."

Icehart scoffed from behind. "Hopefully you die from the poison."

"Sure, sure," Liu Mei said, waving a hand dismissively, "but trust me, my stomach can handle anything. I once ate a rock and survived. This is just child's play."

By now, the snakes had fully encircled the path, hissing softly, their tongues flickering in and out.

Zhao Mei and Zhao Yun moved wordlessly.

Twin blurs of motion.

Zhao Mei's palm shimmered with soft golden light as she struck, severing a serpent mid-lunge.

Zhao Yun, her expression serene, moved like water, dodging another snake and snapping its neck in a fluid, effortless motion.

It was more of a gentle clearing than a battle, elegant and composed.

Meanwhile, Liu Mei had ascended even higher, hovering above the treetops, squinting down at the tangled mess below like she was selecting a lobster from a restaurant tank.

"Hmmm... that one's too small. That one's ugly… Oh! That one's kinda plump!"

Her voice echoed above the fight as if she were browsing a market stall, not observing a potential ambush.

"Please don't just think of eating anything that moves," Yuu muttered, pulling out her blade.

She then spoke with a loud voice,

"Clear the area. I'll handle this."

The command carried no hesitation, just pure authority.

Without thinking, everyone reacted. Betty retreated with a practiced sidestep, Zhao Mei and Zhao Yun disengaged fluidly, and even Icehart took several cautious steps back.

As for Liu Mei—

Wham!

"Wha—?!"

Yuu appeared mid-air and delivered a sharp kick to Liu Mei's side, sending her flying out of the sky with a surprised yelp.

She crashed to the ground in a tumble, dazed but unharmed as she land her next to Alice.

"Ow!! Sister Yuu! What was that for?!"

But Yuu didn't answer.

She hovered mid-air, her face solemn, focused. Slowly, she brought her hands together.

Thumbs touched.

Index fingers aligned like twin blades.

The remaining fingers curled, layered over one another into a complex sigil shape.

The air around her thickened, warping like a mirage.

Her voice dropped, almost a whisper.

"Void Banishment."

Swoooosh—

A gust of unnatural wind surged out from her hands, and for a moment the world around the snake-infested clearing twisted violently.

The light dimmed, shadows bent in reverse, and the air shrieked with a hollow, hungry tone.

Then pop!

Silence.

The space where the snakes had been was now… empty. Not even a single trace left.

Not a single scale. Just trembling leaves and still air.

Two seconds later, the warped space snapped back into reality with a dull hum.

The jungle looked unchanged except for the eerie absence of anything cold, slithering, or venomous.

And then—

Thud!

Yuu plummeted from the sky like a stone and hit the ground hard.

"Yuu!" Liu Mei scrambled up and ran over, brushing off leaves as she reached her side.

Yuu lay on her back, groaning softly, her limbs spread like a broken doll.

"I'm fine…" Yuu mumbled, still sprawled on the ground.

Liu Mei knelt beside her, casually placing a hand on her forehead. "Looks like it."

Yuu squinted up at her. "I fell from the sky. What exactly are you checking my forehead for?"

"Ah," Liu Mei nodded sagely, "just confirming you're conscious. Also, "Master always says—when life throws you snakes, make soup."

"…Snake soup?"

With a bright smile, Liu Mei reached behind her and pulled out two large snakes, limp and freshly slain.

"They looked the most delicious, so I snatched them."

Yuu blinked. "But—wait. Since when?! I erased all the snakes!"

It's supposed to be a secret, but I'll tell you," Liu Mei chimed, practically glowing with mischief.

She leaned in with a finger raised like she was about to share the greatest secret under the heavens.

"I already grabbed the snakes before I jumped up to pick which ones looked best."

Yuu's jaw slackened. "You what?!"

Liu Mei winked. "Speed and instincts, Big Sister Yuu~"

Internally, she added with a sly smirk, Well, I'm definitely not telling you I read your mind and knew you'd erased them so i snatched the snakes before I got kicked.

Yuu sat up slowly, disbelief on her face. "You mean you picked those before I cast my technique?! I should have seen that coming... hah."

Liu Mei gave a smug shrug, flipping her ponytail. "Sister Yuu, You know how fast I am."

Liu mei then added, "Besides, what kind of glutton would I be if I let all that prime meat vanish into thin air?"

Liu Mei turned with a flourish, eyes landing on the smallest among them. "My first, previous, and most favorite disciple," she declared grandly. "Do you know how to cook snake meat?"

Alice stepped forward without hesitation and gave a firm, eager nod.

Yuu's eyes widened. "Wait, wait.. what if she's scared of snakes? Liu Mei, listen to me! Listen—!"

But it was too late.